Mosaic Tile Border on a 70 × 70 cm Mirror
by Nikos Papadopoulos
We took a plain 70 × 70 cm mirror and framed it with a 4–5 cm band of broken green, yellow, blue and red tile leftovers bedded in gypsum paste. It is a one-afternoon project for two people with a pile of offcut tiles and no specialist tools.
Hardware
Mirror
1 plain mirror, 70 × 70 cm (the piece being framed)
33
Leftover glazed tiles
Offcuts in green, yellow, blue and red — enough to cover a 4–5 cm wide band all the way round a 70 × 70 cm mirror (the mosaic)
10
Masking tape
1 roll, 25–50 mm wide (protects the mirror glass inside the border)
3
Finishing
Gypsum plaster powder
1 small bag, roughly 2–3 kg (mixed with water to make the bedding paste)
7
Clean water
Around 1 L, cold, in a mixing bucket (for mixing the paste and rinsing)
Old cloth or towel
1 large cloth (wrap tiles in it before breaking them)
Sponge
1 damp household sponge (wipes haze off the tiles and glass)
2
Step 1 of 7
Lay out the mirror and mark the 4–5 cm border
MATERIALS
TOOLS
Tape measure
Marker pen
MARK THE BORDER
- ✓Lay mirror flat on protected surface
- ✓Measure and mark 4–5 cm border line
- ✓Apply masking tape along inner line
Instructions
• Lay the 70 × 70 cm mirror face-up on a flat, protected table — it stays flat for the whole build. • Measure in 4–5 cm from each of the four edges and mark that line with the marker; keep the same measurement on all four sides so the band is even. • Lay the masking tape with its outer edge exactly on the marked line, so the tape covers all the glass inside the line and the full 4–5 cm band stays exposed. • Wipe the 4–5 cm border band clean and dry — gypsum will not grip greasy glass. • This band is the only area you will work on; everything inside the tape stays untouched.
Time & Waiting
Active work
20 minutes
People
2 people
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